Biography

Mike Heimerdinger enters his third season as offensive coordinator since re-joining the Titans prior to the 2008 season and his eighth season (2000-04, 08-10) overall with Tennessee at the offensive controls. In his two stints with the team, his offenses have produced an NFL co-MVP quarterback in Steve McNair and an NFL Offensive Player of the Year in running back Chris Johnson.

Last year, Heimerdinger ran the offense into the record books, as Chris Johnson (2,006 yards) became just the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season and broke Marshall Faulk’s NFL record for scrimmage yards in a season (2,509 yards). Johnson earned AP Offensive Player of the Year honors while registering a dozen 100-yard rushing games and was the first of the 2,000-yard rushers to also total 500 yards receiving. The rushing total for the team (2,592) was the second highest in franchise history, only behind the 1980 team (2,635 yards). As an offense, the team ranked second in fewest sacks allowed, accumulated the fifth highest point total (354) during the Fisher era and ranked 11th in third down offense.

In his first year back with Tennessee in 2008, Heimergdinger fulfilled Jeff Fisher’s promise of scoring more points as the Titans posted 375 points during the 2008 season, the third-highest total for a Fisher-led team. An extremely efficient and opportunistic offensive unit, the Titans ranked third in the NFL in red-zone offense (62.2% touchdowns), first in sacks allowed with a franchise-low 12 and third in giveways with only 17. Four players earned Pro Bowl selections (QB Kerry Collins, RB Chris Johnson, C Kevin Mawae and T Michael Roos) and several others posted career high numbers (TE Bo Scaife, WR Justin Gage, WR Brandon Jones and RB LenDale White).

His offenses have been receiver-driven, but also have the ability to control games with a rushing attack. In his first tenure with the Titans, he directed an attack that produced the only two 3,000/1,000/1,000-yard seasons in the history of the franchise in 2002 and 2003 (McNair/George/Mason). Also during his tenure, Steve McNair earned NFL co-MVP honors in 2003, becoming the franchise’s first quarterback to earn the accolade.

In the two seasons (2006-07) with the Denver Broncos prior to rejoining the Titans, Heimerdinger held the title of Assistant Head Coach and worked with the Broncos offense. He helped Jay Cutler move into the starting role as a rookie and as a full-time starter entering the 2007 season. Cutler ranked fifth in the AFC in passer rating (88.1) in 2007, while throwing for 3,497 yards and 20 touchdowns. Overall in 2007, the Broncos ranked 11th in total offense and ninth in rushing yards.

He spent the 2005 season as offensive coordinator with the New York Jets under head coach Herman Edwards, a year that saw the offense ravaged by injuries. The team was forced to use five different quarterbacks and saw two starting linemen relegated to injured reserve.

Heimerdinger originally joined the Titans as offensive coordinator in 2000 and presided over the offense during one of the finest five-year stretches in franchise history. Tennessee advanced to the playoffs in three of his five years with the team and ranked in the top 10 in offense twice. During his tenure, the offense reached new heights with nearly every offensive player posting career-best seasons (McNair, George, Wycheck, Mason, Bennett, Brown and McCareins) and establishing new franchise marks. His finest season came in 2003, where the Titans posted the second highest point total in franchise history (435), a franchise record six consecutive games scoring 30 or more points and the franchise’s first quarterback to win NFL MVP honors (McNair).

He took an established run game that featured Eddie George, built on it and developed a dangerous passing game over time. In Heimerdinger’s first season at the controls in 2000, George posted a career-high 1,509 rushing yards and scored 14 rushing touchdowns. In each of his five initial seasons as offensive coordinator, Tennessee ranked in the top five in time of possession.

While leaning on the run game, Heimerdinger was developing McNair into an elite passer and yearly progress was evident in his passer rating. In the year prior to his arrival (1999), McNair posted a 78.6 passer rating while leading the team to an AFC Championship. In his first season with Heimerdinger, he improved to a then-career best 83.6 and started a yearly climb that culminated with his co-MVP season in 2003 with a 100.4 rating.

The wide receiver corps raised its play under Heimerdinger as the offense transitioned from one that focused on the tight end, to one that was more wide receiver driven. During his tenure with the team wide receivers Derrick Mason and Drew Bennett blossomed into terrific NFL receivers. Over the five years in Heimerdinger’s offense, Mason went from a receiver who caught 33 passes in his first two seasons to a Pro Bowl receiver who averaged 81 receptions, 1,101 yards and seven touchdowns per season. He also became the first player in franchise history to record four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2001-04.

Heimerdinger originally joined the Titans after five seasons coaching the wide receivers for the two-time world champion Denver Broncos. Under his tutelage, the Denver tandem of Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey became one of the top duos in the NFL.

Heimerdinger came to Denver in 1995 from Duke University where he was the offensive coordinator and running backs coach in 1994. Before Duke, Heimerdinger spent five years (1989-93) as offensive coordinator at Rice University. During his tenure, the Owls produced the school’s first back-to-back winning seasons since 1960-61. In 1988, Heimerdinger served as offensive coordinator at Cal-State Fullerton, where his club set the school’s single-game record for most points scored with 58.

Heimerdinger began his coaching career in 1975 in the high school ranks of Illinois and earned a head coaching job at Johnsburgh High School in McHenry, Ill. Two years later, he served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Florida in 1980. He spent 1981 at Air Force and at North Texas State in 1982 before returning to Florida in 1983. He spent five years at Florida before moving on to Cal-State Fullerton.

A native of Dekalb, Ill. (10/13/52), Heimerdinger played wide receiver (1970-71) and centerfield at Eastern Illinois, where he earned his degree in history in 1975. He also participated in the NCAA Division II College World Series in 1974 and is the school’s all-time base stealer (51). In 2008, he was inducted into Eastern Illinois’ Hall of Fame. He later earned his master’s in Administration from Northern Illinois. Mike and his wife Kathie are parents of daughter, Alicia, and son, Brian.

Mike Heimerdinger enters his third season as offensive coordinator since re-joining the Titans prior to the 2008 season and his eighth season (2000-04, 08-10) overall with Tennessee at the offensive controls. In his two stints with the team, his offenses have produced an NFL co-MVP quarterback in Steve McNair and an NFL Offensive Player of the Year in running back Chris Johnson.

Last year, Heimerdinger ran the offense into the record books, as Chris Johnson (2,006 yards) became just the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season and broke Marshall Faulk’s NFL record for scrimmage yards in a season (2,509 yards). Johnson earned AP Offensive Player of the Year honors while registering a dozen 100-yard rushing games and was the first of the 2,000-yard rushers to also total 500 yards receiving. The rushing total for the team (2,592) was the second highest in franchise history, only behind the 1980 team (2,635 yards). As an offense, the team ranked second in fewest sacks allowed, accumulated the fifth highest point total (354) during the Fisher era and ranked 11th in third down offense.

In his first year back with Tennessee in 2008, Heimergdinger fulfilled Jeff Fisher’s promise of scoring more points as the Titans posted 375 points during the 2008 season, the third-highest total for a Fisher-led team. An extremely efficient and opportunistic offensive unit, the Titans ranked third in the NFL in red-zone offense (62.2% touchdowns), first in sacks allowed with a franchise-low 12 and third in giveways with only 17. Four players earned Pro Bowl selections (QB Kerry Collins, RB Chris Johnson, C Kevin Mawae and T Michael Roos) and several others posted career high numbers (TE Bo Scaife, WR Justin Gage, WR Brandon Jones and RB LenDale White).

His offenses have been receiver-driven, but also have the ability to control games with a rushing attack. In his first tenure with the Titans, he directed an attack that produced the only two 3,000/1,000/1,000-yard seasons in the history of the franchise in 2002 and 2003 (McNair/George/Mason). Also during his tenure, Steve McNair earned NFL co-MVP honors in 2003, becoming the franchise’s first quarterback to earn the accolade.

In the two seasons (2006-07) with the Denver Broncos prior to rejoining the Titans, Heimerdinger held the title of Assistant Head Coach and worked with the Broncos offense. He helped Jay Cutler move into the starting role as a rookie and as a full-time starter entering the 2007 season. Cutler ranked fifth in the AFC in passer rating (88.1) in 2007, while throwing for 3,497 yards and 20 touchdowns. Overall in 2007, the Broncos ranked 11th in total offense and ninth in rushing yards.

He spent the 2005 season as offensive coordinator with the New York Jets under head coach Herman Edwards, a year that saw the offense ravaged by injuries. The team was forced to use five different quarterbacks and saw two starting linemen relegated to injured reserve.

Heimerdinger originally joined the Titans as offensive coordinator in 2000 and presided over the offense during one of the finest five-year stretches in franchise history. Tennessee advanced to the playoffs in three of his five years with the team and ranked in the top 10 in offense twice. During his tenure, the offense reached new heights with nearly every offensive player posting career-best seasons (McNair, George, Wycheck, Mason, Bennett, Brown and McCareins) and establishing new franchise marks. His finest season came in 2003, where the Titans posted the second highest point total in franchise history (435), a franchise record six consecutive games scoring 30 or more points and the franchise’s first quarterback to win NFL MVP honors (McNair).

He took an established run game that featured Eddie George, built on it and developed a dangerous passing game over time. In Heimerdinger’s first season at the controls in 2000, George posted a career-high 1,509 rushing yards and scored 14 rushing touchdowns. In each of his five initial seasons as offensive coordinator, Tennessee ranked in the top five in time of possession.

While leaning on the run game, Heimerdinger was developing McNair into an elite passer and yearly progress was evident in his passer rating. In the year prior to his arrival (1999), McNair posted a 78.6 passer rating while leading the team to an AFC Championship. In his first season with Heimerdinger, he improved to a then-career best 83.6 and started a yearly climb that culminated with his co-MVP season in 2003 with a 100.4 rating.

The wide receiver corps raised its play under Heimerdinger as the offense transitioned from one that focused on the tight end, to one that was more wide receiver driven. During his tenure with the team wide receivers Derrick Mason and Drew Bennett blossomed into terrific NFL receivers. Over the five years in Heimerdinger’s offense, Mason went from a receiver who caught 33 passes in his first two seasons to a Pro Bowl receiver who averaged 81 receptions, 1,101 yards and seven touchdowns per season. He also became the first player in franchise history to record four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2001-04.

Heimerdinger originally joined the Titans after five seasons coaching the wide receivers for the two-time world champion Denver Broncos. Under his tutelage, the Denver tandem of Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey became one of the top duos in the NFL.

Heimerdinger came to Denver in 1995 from Duke University where he was the offensive coordinator and running backs coach in 1994. Before Duke, Heimerdinger spent five years (1989-93) as offensive coordinator at Rice University. During his tenure, the Owls produced the school’s first back-to-back winning seasons since 1960-61. In 1988, Heimerdinger served as offensive coordinator at Cal-State Fullerton, where his club set the school’s single-game record for most points scored with 58.

Heimerdinger began his coaching career in 1975 in the high school ranks of Illinois and earned a head coaching job at Johnsburgh High School in McHenry, Ill. Two years later, he served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Florida in 1980. He spent 1981 at Air Force and at North Texas State in 1982 before returning to Florida in 1983. He spent five years at Florida before moving on to Cal-State Fullerton.

A native of Dekalb, Ill. (10/13/52), Heimerdinger played wide receiver (1970-71) and centerfield at Eastern Illinois, where he earned his degree in history in 1975. He also participated in the NCAA Division II College World Series in 1974 and is the school’s all-time base stealer (51). In 2008, he was inducted into Eastern Illinois’ Hall of Fame. He later earned his master’s in Administration from Northern Illinois. Mike and his wife Kathie are parents of daughter, Alicia, and son, Brian.